Several organizations across the Mahoning Valley have received grant funding to combat homelessness in their respective communities.

The funding is part of $20.5 million in grants from the Ohio Department of Development's Homeless Crisis Response program that will assist with operating emergency shelters, as well as support housing stability programs.

In Trumbull County, the Greater Warren Youngstown Urban League will receive $203,000 to operate a 25-bed emergency shelter serving single homeless men and women, as well as households with children.

The funding will support grant admission, data collection, evaluation and shelter operations. 

According to a press release, the program expects to serve 535 people over two years with 50% of those people projected to exit to a permanent destination after an average stay of 40 days.

Meanwhile in Columbiana County, the Community Action Agency of Columbiana County will receive $836,000 to provide rapid re-housing and homelessness prevention assistance to eligible recipients in Columbiana County, as well as Carroll, Harrison, Jefferson and Tuscarawas Counties.

The program expects to assist 140 households with rapid re-housing and 95 households with homelessness prevention over a two-year period.

In Mahoning County, Catholic Charities will receive $300,000 to provide rapid re-housing assistance to eligible recipients in all three Mahoning Valley counties. This program expects to assist 154 households over a two-year period.

Finally in Portage County, Coleman Professional Services will receive $1,890,000 to provide rapid rehousing and homelessness prevention assistance to eligible recipients in several counties including Trumbull County here in the Valley.

The program expects to assist 350 households with rapid rehousing and 61 households with homelessness prevention over a two-year period.